SIBU: Regional partnerships have become essential for addressing cross-border health threats like rabies and other public health challenges according to Sarawak Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Dr Sim Kui Hian.
He emphasised that health issues could no longer be viewed in isolation, requiring cooperation between Sarawak, Sabah, Brunei and Kalimantan to ensure collective protection and sustainable solutions.
Dr Sim explained that rabies control involved more than just elimination within Sarawak, requiring prevention measures to protect neighbouring regions with limited veterinary resources.
He made these remarks while opening the inaugural Borneo Health Summit and the 41st Sarawak Health Conference themed Towards 2030: A Better Health for All.
The deputy premier highlighted that sharing expertise, pooling resources and forming cross-border collaborations would help Borneo tackle both communicable and non-communicable diseases more effectively.
Dr Sim stressed that achieving health for all required collaboration beyond medical practitioners to include policymakers, local councils, universities, industries and veterinary experts.
He noted that Sarawak had gained recognition as a key player in Borneo’s health landscape with its facilities, clinical research capability and policy initiatives serving as regional reference points.
The state’s new facilities including the Sarawak Cancer Centre, Infectious Disease Centre and satellite heart centres positioned it to lead healthcare capacity strengthening across the island.
Dr Sim congratulated organisers for hosting the back-to-back events, describing the summit as an important step toward building a healthier and more united Borneo.
The inaugural Borneo Health Summit and the 41st Sarawak Health Conference gathered nearly 450 participants including healthcare practitioners from Singapore, Sabah and other Malaysian regions.
Organised by the Sarawak Public Health Practitioners Association in collaboration with the Sarawak Health Department, the events continue the legacy of the Sarawak State Health Conference series dating back to 1973. – Bernama
